Reversible buckle



Jan 9, 1940. H BUCHSBAUM l 2,186,819

REVERS IBLE BUCKLE Filed Aug. 17, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan 9, 1940- K H. BUcHsBAuM 24,186,819

REVERSIBLE BUCKLE 'Filed Aug. 1'7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L MMQ Patented Jan. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE REVERSIBLE BUCKLE Herbert Buchsbaum, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 17, 1938, Serial No. 225,281

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to belt buckles, and particularly to a reversible belt and buckle construction in which the belt has both sides of such character that they may be used for the '5` outside, or exposed,.surface of the belt. For example, the buckle is particularly adaptable to belts which have one side of one color and the opposite side of another color.

It is the principal purpose of this invention 10 to provide a simple buckle construction of this character wherein the buckle is made of two side bars and three cross bars connecting the side bars, the cross bars consisting of two end bars either of which is capable of acting as a "115 keeper and asa tongue support, the middle bar rbeing centrally disposed with respect to the two end bars and adapted to mount a tongue which can cooperate with either end bar. The invention contemplates the provision of a belt construction of this character wherein the tongue and the end bars are so arranged that the tongue lies equally ilat against either end bar and wherein the middle bar operates as a pivot for the tongue and as a pivot for a securing clip by LT25 which the belt may be secured direct to the The invention further contemplates a construction of this character which may be used .with a reversible belt of the character wherein `e30 no tongue openings can be applied to the belt material. vIn this case, the tongue, except for the manner in which it grips the belt, cooperates with the cross bars and side bars in the same manner as in the type where the belt itself is provided with tongue openings.

Other and more detailed objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully as the vdescription proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred n form of the invention is shown. It isto be understood, however, that the drawings and description are illustrative only, and are not to betaken as limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited by the claims.

.45 In the drawings, Fig. lis a front view showing my improved belt buckle construction;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;`4

Fig. 3 is a View like Fig. 2 but showing the 50 belt reversed;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the buckle frame with the tongue and belt attaching clip re u moved;

(Cl. ,Z4-178) Fig. 6, is a perspective view of the belt,l attaching clip; i

Fig. '7 is a front View similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a modified form of the construction;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8 8 ofv 5 Fig. 7; i

Fig. 9 is a View like Fig. 8, but with the belt and buckle tongue reversed;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on the line Ill-I0 of Fig. 8, and 10 Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the belt buckle frame shown in Fig. 7.

Referring now in detail'to the drawings, the present invention is embodied in a belt buckle it which is adapted for use with a belt H. The 16 belt Il is of a reversible type, that is, it is so constructed that either side may be worn on the outside and it may have different congurations lorcclors on the opposite sides, or, alternatively,

it may be constructed of 'two different layers of material which would give these different appearances to the opposite sides. V

The buckle itself comprises two side bars I2 and I3 and three cross bars I4, I5 and I6. The two cross bars I4 and IB constitute end bars, and .25 the bar I5 is half-waybetween the bars I4 and I6. All of the bars together make up a rigid rectangular frame which, as shown, is of one piece.

The side bars I2 and I3 are curved, as shown -3-0 best in Figs..2 and 5, and the bars I4, l5 and I6 lie on the outside of the curve with the bars I4 and I5 extending straight across and the bar I5 being bent inwardly as shown at Il in Fig. 5. The curved side bars l2 and I3 thus provide.5 guides between which the belt passes.

The belt I I is attached to the central bar I5 by a belt attaching clip I8. 'Ihis clip is shown in perspective in Fig. 6 and comprises a sheet of metal which is doubled upon itself and formed :4.0

with a substantially round bar holding portion I9. The walls of the clip I8 are provided `with integral prongs 20 and apertures 2I,v the .apertures 2| being formed with inwardly projecting walls 2Ia cooperating with the prongs 20. The 45 prongs 29 are pressed into the belt material and into the apertures 2I to securey the belt tothe clip. The clip 'I8 has the bearing portion I9 cut out intermediate its ends, as shown at 22,

so that a tongue 23 may also be mounted on the 50 bar I5.

The tongue 23 consists of a metal strip. It has a ring 24 formed at one end thereof, the ring being bent around the bar I5. The tongue 23 is so constructed that its opposite surfaces 25 55 and 26 are alike, and each surface is provided with an indentation shown at 2'I and 28. The end bars I4 and I6 have their edges 2S) and 3i) angularly shaped, and the indentations 2T and 28 are so shaped that the tongue lies flatly against either bar I4 or I6, as shown by Figs. 2 and l3. The free end of the belt I I is provided with apertures 3I to receive the tongue 23.

It is believed to be evident from inspection of Figs. 2 and 3 how the tongue 23 may be moved to reverse the belt so that in one instance the tongue rests upon the bar I4 and the free end of the belt II passes beneath the bar it then over the center bar I5 and beneath the bar I6, which acts as a keeper. Then, whenthe belt is reversed to bring the other side out, the iree end of the belt passes under the bar I6, thence over the bar I5 and under the bar E4 which acts as a keeper. Owing to the tongue and bar construction employed, the buckle presents the same appearance, regardless of which side of the belt is used as the outside.

Referring now to Figs. '7-l1, in this form of the invention a buckle I is used with a re versible belt II which is of a type otmaterial that cannot be provided with tongue apertures in the free end because of the characteristic of the material that causes it to rip if it is punched. Such a material is the so-called reconstructed leather, which is made from ground up leather fiber and an adhesive. In this type of construction a belt attaching clip I8 is utilized for securing the belt to the middle bar I5 of the buckle. This clip is similar to that shown in the first form, having prongs 23 and apertures 2 I However, ,the apertures 2I are round and their walls are therefore of slightly diierent shape. The side bars I2 and I3 are of slightly different construction than in the iirst form of the device, in that they are ilat with 11p-turned flanges 32 and 33. The cross bar I5 is preferably staked in the flanges 32 and 33 so as to provide an integral structure. The end bars I4 and IE are substantially the same as in the first form eX- cept that no notches are provided for a belt tongue. In `this form of the invention a special tongue 34 consisting of a flat metal sheet is pivoted onthe cross bar I5 by means of a ring 35. rIhe tongue 34 diverges outwardly from the ring 35 to .provide side extensions 36 and 31 which overlap the adjacent side bars I2 and I3'. The free end of the tongue 34 provides a straight edge shown at 38 in Fig. '7 which cooperates with the adjacent straight edge of cross bar Ill or I6', depending upon the position of the tongue. The belt itself is pinched between the edge 38 of the tongue 34 and the adjacent cross bar so as to prevent slipping. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the tongue 34 may be readily reversed in `the same manner as the tongue 23 in the rst form of the device.

In both forms of the invention as described the reversible buckle consists of a simple frame made up of two side bars, two end bars and a central cross bar spaced midway between the end bars. The `tongue and the belt attaching clip are so arranged on the central cross bar that the belt attaching clip centers the tongue with respect to the side bars, and the tongue and clip are both free to be reversed so that either side of the belt may be placed outwardly in a simple and convenient way.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A reversible belt buckle of the character described comprising a rigid frame having spaced side bars connected by three cross bars, two of said cross bars comprising end bars connecting the ends of the side bars and the third cross bar comprising a centrally disposed belt and tongue supporting bar, a straight tongue pivoted on said central bar and longer than the distance from the center bar to the end bars and having its opposite sides alike, whereby to engage either end bar in the same manner, and a belt attaching clip pivoted on said middle bar.

2. A reversible belt buckle of the character described comprising a rigid frame having spaced side bars connected by three cross bars, two of said cross bars comprising end bars connecting the ends of the side bars and the third cross bar comprising'a centrally disposed belt and tongue supporting bar, a straight tongue pivoted on said central bar and longer than the distance from the center bar to the end bars and having its opposite sides alike, whereby to engage either end bar in the same manner, and a belt attaching clip pivoted on said middle bar, said tongue having oppositely disposed notches therein adjacent to the tip of the tongue to engage the adjacent edges of the respective end bars.

3. A reversible belt buckle of the character described comprising a rigid frame having spaced side bars connected by three cross bars, two of said cross bars comprising end bars connecting the ends of the side bars and the third cross bar comprising a centrally disposed belt and tongue supporting bar, a straight tongue pivoted on said central bar and longer than the distance from the center bar to the end bars and having its opposite sides alike, whereby to engage either end bar in the same manner, and a belt attach-A the ends of the side bars and the third cross bar comprising a centrallydisposed belt and tongue supporting bar, a tongue pivoted on said centrally disposed bar, said tongue being longer than the distancebetween the centrally disposed bar and either end bar whereby to rest its tip .i

upon either end bar, said tongue having oppositely disposed notches formed therein at the tip thereof, whereby to engage the adjacent edges of the respective end bars and cause the tongue to t Well against either end bar, and a belt attaching member on said centrally disposed bar.

HERBERT BUCHSBAUM; 

